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For seven months, Manny Howard—a lifelong urbanite—woke up every morning and ventured into his eight-hundred-square-foot backyard to maintain the first farm in Flatbush, Brooklyn, in generations. His goal was simple: to subsist on what he could produce on this farm, and only this farm, for at least a month. The project came at a time in Manny’s life when he most needed it—even if his family, and especially his wife, seemingly did not. But a farmer’s life, he discovered—after a string of catastrophes, including a tornado, countless animal deaths (natural, accidental, and inflicted), and even a severed finger—is not an easy one. And it can be just as hard on those he shares it with.
We now think more about what we eat than ever before, buying organic for our health and local for the environment, often making those decisions into political statements in the process. My Empire of Dirt is a ground-level examination—trenchant, touching, and outrageous—of the cultural reflex to control one of the most elemental aspects of our lives: feeding ourselves.
Unlike most foodies with a farm fetish, Manny didn’t put on overalls with much of a philosophy in mind, save a healthy dose of skepticism about some of the more doctrinaire tendencies of locavores. He did not set out to grow all of his own food because he thought it was the right thing to do or because he thought the rest of us should do the same. Rather, he did it because he was just crazy enough to want to find out how hard it would actually be to take on a challenge based on a radical interpretation of a trendy (if well-meaning) idea and see if he could rise to the occasion.

The winter was hard on the flock. The coop was warm enough, but, though great efforts were made in the planning and construction, the building was not as secure as I had imagined. I locked it most every night–well, barricaded the door–but had not counted on daytime raids. Unlike last year–when, on three occasions, I found eviscerated Leghorns frozen to the dirt in the run, this winter when the flock suffered a loss it seemed that the casualty was carried off. Only the top-end predators (here, think lions and crocodiles) bother with the entire carcass. Most lesser carnivores, hoping to make the most of their opportunism before a beast (real or imagined) further up the food chain stumbles across the scene, will satisfy themselves with viscera and beat a hasty retreat. The disappearances were puzzling. Fiona, a neighbor who also keeps chickens, insists that when one of her chickens goes missing it has been purloined for use in a ritual of Santeria held somewhere in the bowels of Prospect Park, the borders of which are not three blocks away. I had my doubts, but no alternate theory to offer.

to avoid violence associated with establishing the peck order it is recommended that new birds be introduced into the flock at night

But I digress. By late February we had lost two of the three remaining birds. The idea of going to zero on my laying flock weighed heavily. I feared that if we lost all the hens, any resulting interruption in fresh egg production would doom my already slim chances of rebuilding the flock and we would default to the grocery store and languish there forever. I did not lay eyes on the culprit until the first week of March. In the predawn I was woken by the alarm call of Last Chicken Standing. I leapt from bed and flung the window open just in time to witness the terrified red hen sprinting down the driveway pursued by the largest raccoon I have seen (not just in Brooklyn, anywhere). There is a gaze of raccoons rumored to nest hard-by the dumpster at the KFC on Coney Island Avenue. I suspect all this locavore chatter had not been lost on the great, shambling filcher staring up at me now, when our dog Fergus leapt up on the window sill to see what all the excitement was about, the raccoon made for the back fence. Last Chicken Standing is now in protective custody in a metal layer cage, terribly lonely, bored and forlorn, but still producing one very high quality small brown egg every morning.

After some negotiation with Lisa I have placed an order for reinforcements. We expect delivery during the week of May 25. The birds arrive airfreight in a cardboard carrying case marked “LIVESTOCK.” The new flock consists of one red pullet, a pair of White Leghorns and two Black Stars. These are not the fancy collector birds you read about when (if) you read about fowl collectors. No outrageous plumage, no miniature splendor, our birds are work-a-day egg machines. At 18 weeks they should begin a life of labor, producing one egg a day. The propaganda from Murray McMurray Hatchery is very encouraging: “If you are after maximum production of eggs with the most efficient feed conversion ratio [and who isn’t?], then this is your ticket. These pullets weigh about 4 lbs. at maturity, start laying at 4 1/2 to 5 months, and will continue 10 to 12 weeks longer than most good layers.”

I have begun the renovations of the original coop. In order to limit pecking order violence, each hen will have her own laying box and there will be ample roosting room. In an effort to limit any further predation, the coop’s run will be completely enclosed and attached to the coop itself. This year’s Winter Palace will be converted into a backyard clubhouse for the children. They will have ungoverned access to it as soon as it is free of vapors from the structure’s planned total immersion in chlorine bleach. More when there is more..

Blogroll

rescue your soggy iPhone
I fill a ziplock with basmati; for good measure, add a cup of premium sushi (somehow short grain seems more absorbent). I pack the ziplock in my checked suitcase and fly off to France.

blogs and sites worth checking out

Manny Howard on The Colbert Report
in which Manny Howard, ably aided (guided really) by Stephen Colbert (and the good people at The Colbert Reprt) attempt to sell many copies of “My Empire of Dirt”

opinionbrooklyn
Robey Newsom started opinionbrooklyn because “Brad said I should start writing a blog but that I wouldn’t. He also called me smart and opinionated. He’s only half right. I’m sure there have been stupider reasons for starting a blog but probably not many.

rescue your soggy iPhone
I fill a ziplock with basmati; for good measure, add a cup of premium sushi (somehow short grain seems more absorbent). I pack the ziplock in my checked suitcase and fly off to France.

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

clips

“I’d Probably Slug Jesus”
This American Life: (Manny Howard talks with Paul Tough about why he loved fighting, in bars, on the street, and about how hard it is to quit.), This American Life, March 27, 1998

“Why We Split”
New York Times Magazine special issue on money (My wife and I shared a single savings account, and I blew through every nickel of it. The end was quick and clean), New York Times Magazine, October 15, 2000

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

commentary

cofactors blog, CatalystGroup
CoFactors, the research + development crucible for Catalyst Group Design. using their exceptionally broad view of the Web, this band of happy geniuses expand and codify their observations and experience, addressing design issues + culture.

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

opinionbrooklyn
Robey Newsom started opinionbrooklyn because “Brad said I should start writing a blog but that I wouldn’t. He also called me smart and opinionated. He’s only half right. I’m sure there have been stupider reasons for starting a blog but probably not many.

video of 1950s housewife tripping on LSD
Here’s some rare footage of an experimental LSD session that Don Lattin, Author of ‘Jesus Freaks’ and ‘The Harvard Psychedelic Club’ came across doing research for THPD, a group biography of British writer Aldous Huxley, philosopher Gerald Heard, and Bil

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

fishing

Bass: The Movie
This is the first comprehensive look behind the scenes of Bass: The Movie. The movie pits a conventional angler and a fly rod angler against one another in a Bass Eden. Who would win? Well, as it turned out, it evolved into a surprising team that left the

LSD Research

video of 1950s housewife tripping on LSD
Here’s some rare footage of an experimental LSD session that Don Lattin, Author of ‘Jesus Freaks’ and ‘The Harvard Psychedelic Club’ came across doing research for THPD, a group biography of British writer Aldous Huxley, philosopher Gerald Heard, and Bil

NPR "All Things Considered" Margot Adler visits The Farm
A lot of people talk about eating locally, but Manny Howard went further. He created a farm in his 20- by 40-foot Brooklyn backyard — with rabbits, chickens, and a host of vegetables — and was determined to spend a month eating only from his land.

“Why We Split”
New York Times Magazine special issue on money (My wife and I shared a single savings account, and I blew through every nickel of it. The end was quick and clean), New York Times Magazine, October 15, 2000

Manny's Radio Interviews

“I’d Probably Slug Jesus”
This American Life: (Manny Howard talks with Paul Tough about why he loved fighting, in bars, on the street, and about how hard it is to quit.), This American Life, March 27, 1998

MEoD on the Kojo Nnamdi Show
For some enthusiasts, backyard birds are an environmentally-sound way to create fertilizer, get rid of kitchen scraps, and provide fresh eggs. Others say urban chickens take the “locavore” movement too far, creating a neighborhood nuisance. We explore the

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

NPR "All Things Considered" Margot Adler visits The Farm
A lot of people talk about eating locally, but Manny Howard went further. He created a farm in his 20- by 40-foot Brooklyn backyard — with rabbits, chickens, and a host of vegetables — and was determined to spend a month eating only from his land.

Manny Howard on The Colbert Report
in which Manny Howard, ably aided (guided really) by Stephen Colbert (and the good people at The Colbert Reprt) attempt to sell many copies of “My Empire of Dirt”

MEoD on the Kojo Nnamdi Show
For some enthusiasts, backyard birds are an environmentally-sound way to create fertilizer, get rid of kitchen scraps, and provide fresh eggs. Others say urban chickens take the “locavore” movement too far, creating a neighborhood nuisance. We explore the

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

opinionbrooklyn
Robey Newsom started opinionbrooklyn because “Brad said I should start writing a blog but that I wouldn’t. He also called me smart and opinionated. He’s only half right. I’m sure there have been stupider reasons for starting a blog but probably not many.

Manny Howard on The Colbert Report
in which Manny Howard, ably aided (guided really) by Stephen Colbert (and the good people at The Colbert Reprt) attempt to sell many copies of “My Empire of Dirt”

MEoD on the Kojo Nnamdi Show
For some enthusiasts, backyard birds are an environmentally-sound way to create fertilizer, get rid of kitchen scraps, and provide fresh eggs. Others say urban chickens take the “locavore” movement too far, creating a neighborhood nuisance. We explore the

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

NPR "All Things Considered" Margot Adler visits The Farm
A lot of people talk about eating locally, but Manny Howard went further. He created a farm in his 20- by 40-foot Brooklyn backyard — with rabbits, chickens, and a host of vegetables — and was determined to spend a month eating only from his land.

rescue your soggy iPhone
I fill a ziplock with basmati; for good measure, add a cup of premium sushi (somehow short grain seems more absorbent). I pack the ziplock in my checked suitcase and fly off to France.

radio

“I’d Probably Slug Jesus”
This American Life: (Manny Howard talks with Paul Tough about why he loved fighting, in bars, on the street, and about how hard it is to quit.), This American Life, March 27, 1998

Recommended

“Why We Split”
New York Times Magazine special issue on money (My wife and I shared a single savings account, and I blew through every nickel of it. The end was quick and clean), New York Times Magazine, October 15, 2000

Bass: The Movie
This is the first comprehensive look behind the scenes of Bass: The Movie. The movie pits a conventional angler and a fly rod angler against one another in a Bass Eden. Who would win? Well, as it turned out, it evolved into a surprising team that left the

cofactors blog, CatalystGroup
CoFactors, the research + development crucible for Catalyst Group Design. using their exceptionally broad view of the Web, this band of happy geniuses expand and codify their observations and experience, addressing design issues + culture.

Effect Measure
Effect Measure is a forum for progressive public health discussion and argument as well as a source of public health information from around the web that interests the editors of scienceblogs.com

MEoD on the Kojo Nnamdi Show
For some enthusiasts, backyard birds are an environmentally-sound way to create fertilizer, get rid of kitchen scraps, and provide fresh eggs. Others say urban chickens take the “locavore” movement too far, creating a neighborhood nuisance. We explore the

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

rescue your soggy iPhone
I fill a ziplock with basmati; for good measure, add a cup of premium sushi (somehow short grain seems more absorbent). I pack the ziplock in my checked suitcase and fly off to France.

the complex economics of urban chicken farming
As a backyard chicken trend sweeps the country, hatcheries that supply baby chicks say they can barely keep up with demand. Do-it-yourself coops have popped up in places as disparate as Brooklyn, suburban Chicago and the rural West.

The Sandbox (Slate)
The Sandbox is Slate’s command-wide milblog, featuring comments, anecdotes, and observations from service members currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. This is GWOT-lit’s forward position, offering those in-country a chance to share their experience

video of 1950s housewife tripping on LSD
Here’s some rare footage of an experimental LSD session that Don Lattin, Author of ‘Jesus Freaks’ and ‘The Harvard Psychedelic Club’ came across doing research for THPD, a group biography of British writer Aldous Huxley, philosopher Gerald Heard, and Bil

Manny Howard on The Colbert Report
in which Manny Howard, ably aided (guided really) by Stephen Colbert (and the good people at The Colbert Reprt) attempt to sell many copies of “My Empire of Dirt”

NPR "All Things Considered" Margot Adler visits The Farm
A lot of people talk about eating locally, but Manny Howard went further. He created a farm in his 20- by 40-foot Brooklyn backyard — with rabbits, chickens, and a host of vegetables — and was determined to spend a month eating only from his land.

survival blog
The Daily Web Log for Prepared Individuals Living in Uncertain Times.

the complex economics of urban chicken farming
As a backyard chicken trend sweeps the country, hatcheries that supply baby chicks say they can barely keep up with demand. Do-it-yourself coops have popped up in places as disparate as Brooklyn, suburban Chicago and the rural West.

spouses

“Why We Split”
New York Times Magazine special issue on money (My wife and I shared a single savings account, and I blew through every nickel of it. The end was quick and clean), New York Times Magazine, October 15, 2000

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

Stupid Parent Trick
Yes we did take our brand new baby and 70lb dog on month long drive across the country.

video of 1950s housewife tripping on LSD
Here’s some rare footage of an experimental LSD session that Don Lattin, Author of ‘Jesus Freaks’ and ‘The Harvard Psychedelic Club’ came across doing research for THPD, a group biography of British writer Aldous Huxley, philosopher Gerald Heard, and Bil

Stuff I Love

Bass: The Movie
This is the first comprehensive look behind the scenes of Bass: The Movie. The movie pits a conventional angler and a fly rod angler against one another in a Bass Eden. Who would win? Well, as it turned out, it evolved into a surprising team that left the

rescue your soggy iPhone
I fill a ziplock with basmati; for good measure, add a cup of premium sushi (somehow short grain seems more absorbent). I pack the ziplock in my checked suitcase and fly off to France.

survival blog
The Daily Web Log for Prepared Individuals Living in Uncertain Times.

the selvedge yard
The Selvedge Yard is about all the things that interest me– a menswear product, presentation & branding guy with a passion for people, places things & ideas of enduring heritage, quality, authenticity & character. But I’m not all old scho

video of 1950s housewife tripping on LSD
Here’s some rare footage of an experimental LSD session that Don Lattin, Author of ‘Jesus Freaks’ and ‘The Harvard Psychedelic Club’ came across doing research for THPD, a group biography of British writer Aldous Huxley, philosopher Gerald Heard, and Bil

cofactors blog, CatalystGroup
CoFactors, the research + development crucible for Catalyst Group Design. using their exceptionally broad view of the Web, this band of happy geniuses expand and codify their observations and experience, addressing design issues + culture.

rescue your soggy iPhone
I fill a ziplock with basmati; for good measure, add a cup of premium sushi (somehow short grain seems more absorbent). I pack the ziplock in my checked suitcase and fly off to France.

the complex economics of urban chicken farming
As a backyard chicken trend sweeps the country, hatcheries that supply baby chicks say they can barely keep up with demand. Do-it-yourself coops have popped up in places as disparate as Brooklyn, suburban Chicago and the rural West.

the selvedge yard
The Selvedge Yard is about all the things that interest me– a menswear product, presentation & branding guy with a passion for people, places things & ideas of enduring heritage, quality, authenticity & character. But I’m not all old scho

video of 1950s housewife tripping on LSD
Here’s some rare footage of an experimental LSD session that Don Lattin, Author of ‘Jesus Freaks’ and ‘The Harvard Psychedelic Club’ came across doing research for THPD, a group biography of British writer Aldous Huxley, philosopher Gerald Heard, and Bil

The Sandbox (Slate)
The Sandbox is Slate’s command-wide milblog, featuring comments, anecdotes, and observations from service members currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. This is GWOT-lit’s forward position, offering those in-country a chance to share their experience

Manny Howard on The Colbert Report
in which Manny Howard, ably aided (guided really) by Stephen Colbert (and the good people at The Colbert Reprt) attempt to sell many copies of “My Empire of Dirt”

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

NPR "All Things Considered" Margot Adler visits The Farm
A lot of people talk about eating locally, but Manny Howard went further. He created a farm in his 20- by 40-foot Brooklyn backyard — with rabbits, chickens, and a host of vegetables — and was determined to spend a month eating only from his land.

survival blog
The Daily Web Log for Prepared Individuals Living in Uncertain Times.

the complex economics of urban chicken farming
As a backyard chicken trend sweeps the country, hatcheries that supply baby chicks say they can barely keep up with demand. Do-it-yourself coops have popped up in places as disparate as Brooklyn, suburban Chicago and the rural West.

video

Bass: The Movie
This is the first comprehensive look behind the scenes of Bass: The Movie. The movie pits a conventional angler and a fly rod angler against one another in a Bass Eden. Who would win? Well, as it turned out, it evolved into a surprising team that left the

The Mad Farmer
In the depths of his agrarian madness, Manny is interviewed on The Farm

video of 1950s housewife tripping on LSD
Here’s some rare footage of an experimental LSD session that Don Lattin, Author of ‘Jesus Freaks’ and ‘The Harvard Psychedelic Club’ came across doing research for THPD, a group biography of British writer Aldous Huxley, philosopher Gerald Heard, and Bil

video of 1950s housewife tripping on LSD
Here’s some rare footage of an experimental LSD session that Don Lattin, Author of ‘Jesus Freaks’ and ‘The Harvard Psychedelic Club’ came across doing research for THPD, a group biography of British writer Aldous Huxley, philosopher Gerald Heard, and Bil

MEoD on the Kojo Nnamdi Show
For some enthusiasts, backyard birds are an environmentally-sound way to create fertilizer, get rid of kitchen scraps, and provide fresh eggs. Others say urban chickens take the “locavore” movement too far, creating a neighborhood nuisance. We explore the

MEoD on The Main Course on Heritage Radio Network
on The Main Course, Patrick & Katy are joined by Angela Miller, Manny Howard & Ron Silver. Angela & Manny talk about their farming discoveries, and Ron discusses how Bubby’s came to be and what he thinks of local ingredients.

the complex economics of urban chicken farming
As a backyard chicken trend sweeps the country, hatcheries that supply baby chicks say they can barely keep up with demand. Do-it-yourself coops have popped up in places as disparate as Brooklyn, suburban Chicago and the rural West.